How to Compare High Blood Pressure Medications

Hypertension, more commonly referred to as high blood pressure, is a common condition in society today. There are many factors that can lead one to have elevated blood pressure. Along with lifestyle changes, doctors will often recommend medication be taken to help lower the high blood pressure reading into a more acceptable range. Out of all of the different medications available for hypertension, how can you decide which one to take? The first thing you need to do is to compare all of the different blood pressure medications on the market today. Here's how.

Instructions

• 1

  The first major type of high blood pressure medications to look at is that of the diuretic. There are thiazide diuretics, loop diuretics, potassium-sparing diuretics and several other kinds. They all act the same way: by causing the body to excrete more sodium and fluid, which thereby relaxes the pressure inside the cardiovascular system. Diuretics are particularly good for patients who are overweight and for African-Americans.

• 2

  The next big type of high blood pressure medication to examine comes in the form of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, otherwise known as ACE inhibitors. ACE inhibitors work by interfering with the creation of an enzyme that is needed to produce a chemical that the body manufactures naturally in order to constrict blood vessels. ACE inhibitors are especially indicated in patients with advanced heart disease or diabetes.

• 3

  Angiotensin II receptor blockers, known more commonly as ARBs, are the next major class of high blood pressure medications most people should consider. They work similarly to ACE inhibitors, but by blocking a hormone instead of an enzyme, and are good for those for whom the side effects of ACE inhibitors are simply too great. ARBs should never be taken by pregnant women, however, or by women trying to conceive.

• 4

  Beta-blockers are the next medication class that is often used to control high blood pressure. These medications work by changing the frequency and intensity of the heart's beating, which lowers blood pressure. Beta-blockers are great options for those with anxiety disorders that are partially to cause for their underlying hypertension.

• 5

  The next major class of high blood pressure medications to look at are the calcium channel blockers. These work by effectively lowering the amount of cardiovascular constriction that takes place within the patient's body. They are especially indicated for African-Americans and for those who have difficulty lowering their sodium intake and for whom diuretics simply aren't effective enough.

• 6

  The next-to-last class of high blood pressure medications to consider are the vasodilators, which effectively relax the muscle tissue of the blood vessels, thereby lowering blood pressure. These are often a last-dtich blood pressure medication and ought not be taken except under strict medical observation and in case of hypertensive emergencies.

• 7

  Direct renin inhibitors are the last medication type that is commonly used as a treatment for high blood pressure. These drugs are relatively new to the medical world and are generally less popular because long-term effectiveness and side-effects aren't known yet. Pregnant women should not take direct renin inhibitors.